Acoustic wave type generator or receiver

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310322000

Acoustic wave type generator or receiver

49

20100007243

Piezoelectric Component - A piezoelectric component with a body in which electrically connected transducer elements are realized is disclosed. The transducer elements are separated from each other by an essentially field-free neutral region of the body. A first transducer element has electrically connected first electrodes, and a second transducer element has electrically connected second electrodes. In addition, at least one third electrode, which is arranged in the first and second transducer element is provided. At least three of the first and third electrodes are arranged in an alternating sequence. At least three of the second and third electrodes are arranged in an alternating sequence. The neutral area is perpendicular to the planes in which the electrodes are arranged.

01-14-2010

20130200754

DEVICE AND METHOD FOR BRACING ELECTROMECHANICAL COMPOSITE HIGH-FREQUENCY VIBRATION SYSTEMS (VFHS) - The present invention relates to an apparatus for generating electromechanical composite high-frequency oscillations includes, with a composite high-frequency oscillation system having at least one oscillation-generating element and at least one bracing element for applying pressure to the oscillation-generating element, wherein the bracing element is positioned outside of the material cross-section of at least one oscillation-generating element.

08-08-2013

20110074245

ACOUSTIC POWER GENERATOR AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME - An acoustic power generator and a method for manufacturing the same. The method comprises steps of: measuring a sonic frequency of a sound wave; determining a phononic crystal and a resonant cavity according to the measured sonic frequency; and determining at least a piezoelectric material according to the measured sonic frequency and installing the piezoelectric material inside the resonant cavity.

BULK ACOUSTIC WAVE RESONATOR WITH CONTROLLED THICKNESS REGION HAVING CONTROLLED ELECTROMECHANICAL COUPLING - According to an exemplary embodiment, a bulk acoustic wave (BAW) resonator includes a piezoelectric layer situated between upper and lower electrodes, where each of the upper and lower electrodes are a high density metal. The BAW resonator further includes a controlled thickness region including a low density metal segment, where the low density metal segment is situated adjacent to the piezoelectric layer, and where the controlled thickness region has controlled electromechanical coupling. The controlled thickness region can provide reduced electromechanical coupling into lateral modes. The low density metal segment can extend along the perimeter of the BAW resonator.

10-29-2009

20110057541

HIGH POWER ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER - A high power ultrasonic transducer includes a first ultrasonic transducer cell and at least one second ultrasonic transducer cell disposed on the first ultrasonic transducer cell. The at least one second ultrasonic transducer cell oscillates together with the first ultrasonic transducer cell.

03-10-2011

20150321222

PIEZOELECTRIC ELEMENT AND PIEZOELECTRIC VIBRATION MODULE HAVING THE SAME - A piezoelectric element and piezoelectric vibration module include a piezoelectric material having a plurality of piezoelectric layers laminated thereon and internal electrodes laminated alternately with the piezoelectric layers, respectively. Among the plurality of piezoelectric layers, a magnitude of applied electric field on a piezoelectric layer located at one end is smaller than a magnitude of applied electric field on a piezoelectric layer located at the other end.

11-12-2015

20140184022

POROSITY CONTROL IN PIEZOELECTRIC FILMS - A piezoelectric film having a porosity between 20 and 40%, a thickness ranging from tens of microns to less than a few millimeters can be used to form an ultrasonic transducer UT for operation in elevated temperature ranges, that emit pulses having a high bandwidth. Such piezoelectric films exhibit greater flexibility allowing for conformation of the UT to a surface, and obviate the need for couplings or backings. Furthermore, a method of fabricating an UT having these advantages as well as better bonding between the piezoelectric film and electrodes involves controlling porosity within the piezoelectric film

07-03-2014

20140184021

PIEZOELECTRIC STACK TRANSDUCER - Provided is a piezoelectric stack transducer. In a transducer portion, a plurality of piezoelectric transducers which output maximum amplitude at different frequencies are continuously stacked. A stacked electrode portion is provided on both surfaces of each of the plurality of continuously stacked piezoelectric transducers and supplies an electric signal so that vibration is generated. In this case, the plurality of piezoelectric transducers have different diameters. According to the present invention, it is possible to implement a piezoelectric stack transducer which exhibits constant amplitude (output) at different frequencies by piezoelectric transducers exhibiting different amplitudes at respective frequencies according to natural frequencies supplementing amplitude of a different piezoelectric transducer.

07-03-2014

20130241350

ULTRASONIC PROBE - An ultrasonic probe including a piezoelectric vibrator and a layer, wherein the piezoelectric vibrator transmits and receives ultrasonic waves. The layer is connected to a rear surface of a side opposite a side receiving and sending ultrasonic waves from the piezoelectric vibrator and has an acoustic impedance and Young's modulus larger than that of the piezoelectric vibrator, and includes a plurality of grooves arranged such that the rear surface of the piezoelectric vibrator faces the grooves opening, wherein the plurality of grooves are shaped such that groove capacity occupying the layer volume is increased in a direction along a center to an end of the rear surface of the piezoelectric vibrator.

09-19-2013

20100194241

THIN-FILM BULK ACOUSTIC RESONATORS HAVING PERFORATED BODIES THAT PROVIDE REDUCED SUSCEPTIBILITY TO PROCESS-INDUCED LATERAL DIMENSION VARIATIONS - Micro-electromechanical acoustic resonators include a resonator body suspended over a substrate. The resonator body may have a single perforation therein, which may extend substantially or completely therethrough. The resonator body may also be configured to have a center-of-mass within an interior of the perforation and/or a nodal line that overlaps the perforation. A perimeter and depth of the single perforation can be configured to reduce a susceptibility of the acoustic resonator to process-induced variations in resonant frequency relative to an otherwise equivalent resonator that omits the single perforation. In other embodiments, the resonator body may have multiple perforations therein that extend along a nodal line of the resonator.

08-05-2010

20130169111

AIR-COUPLED ULTRASONIC SENSOR - An air-coupled ultrasonic sensor capable of changing setting of an output sound pressure or an ultrasonic wave propagation distance depending on a use application, an installation site, or the like, with a simple structure. An air-coupled ultrasonic sensor includes: a closed-end cylindrical case including an opening portion at one end in its axial direction and a bottom surface at another end; a piezoelectric oscillator firmly fixed onto an inner bottom surface of the closed-end cylindrical case; an open-end cylindrical case including opening portions at both ends in its axial direction; and a thin film firmly fixed on one of the opening portions at one end of the open-end cylindrical case. The open-end cylindrical case is fitted to the closed-end cylindrical case, and includes a structure capable of moving along a side wall of the closed-end cylindrical case.

07-04-2013

20100156238

PIEZOELECTRIC ACOUSTIC TRANSDUCER AND METHOD OF FABRICATING THE SAME - Provided are a piezoelectric acoustic transducer and a method of fabricating the same. In the piezoelectric acoustic transducer, a piezoelectric portion is formed in a portion of a diaphragm, and a deformation layer is formed in another portion of the diaphragm. Deformation of the piezoelectric portion is transferred to the deformation layer, or deformation of the deformation layer is transferred to the piezoelectric layer so that the deformation layer vibrates with the piezoelectric layer.

06-24-2010

20110234048

APPARATUS FOR GENERATING ELECTRICITY - An apparatus for generating electricity comprises a vibration plate, a supporting board, at least one side-wall unit and at least one piezoelectric substrate having a first- and a second end surfaces covered with a first- and a second electrodes, respectively. They all together form at least one cavity resonator. If a sound pressure from the outside arrives at the vibration plate, an acoustic vibration is excited in the vibration plate, and thereby a resonance vibration is induced in the cavity resonator. In this time, the piezoelectric substrate responds actively to the resonance vibration. Thus, a resonance energy occurred in the cavity resonator is converted into an electric energy, which is delivered through the first- and second electrodes.

09-29-2011

20120146458

ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER DETECTOR - An ultrasonic transducer detector having a high operating frequency is provided. The ultrasonic transducer detector comprises a substrate and an ultrasonic transducer array. The substrate has a plurality of openings, and the ultrasonic transducer array is disposed on the substrate. The ultrasonic transducer array has a plurality of resonance units, and the thickness of each resonance unit is equivalent to ½ wavelength of the operating frequency of the ultrasonic transducer. Each resonance unit comprises an oscillating element and a piezoelectric element. The oscillating element has a first surface adjacent to the substrate, and the piezoelectric element is disposed on the first surface and located in the corresponding opening.

06-14-2012

20120286626

Ultrasonic Vibration Device - In an inner bottom surface of a case, a substantially oblong recess having a long axis and a short axis forms a vibration area. A piezoelectric element is bonded to the center of the recess. On the opposite sides of the vibration area, vibration suppression areas thicker than the vibration area are disposed. A side portion of the case is formed to be thin over the entire circumference thereof. A reinforcing member higher in rigidity than the case is bonded to upper portions of the vibration suppression areas. The reinforcing member has a bottom surface substantially equal to the shape of the vibration suppression areas, and has a predetermined height. A gap between the reinforcing member and an inner side surface of the case is also filled with a filling member.

ELECTROACOUSTIC TRANSDUCER - An electroacoustic transducer includes: a housing; an oscillating structure including at least one disk-shaped piezoelectric element having first and second surfaces; an acoustic transmitter; and electrical connecting element contacting electrodes of the piezoelectric element. The acoustic transmitter has parallel first and second surfaces, which first surface is joined to the first surface of the piezoelectric element, and which second surface is suitable for emitting and/or receiving sound waves. The distance between the second surface of the acoustic transmitter and the second surface of the piezoelectric element corresponds to 1/4 of the resonance oscillation wavelength of the oscillating structure. The piezoelectric element is connected to the housing with the aid of a bearing structure which allows transverse strains of the piezoelectric element.

05-19-2016

20100264778

ACOUSTIC TRANSDUCER - An acoustic transducer is disclosed in which a set of electrode arrays is arranged around a nominal centre point and comprising a set of circumferentially disposed electrode elements. A piezoelectric material is located between a common electrode and said electrode elements.

10-21-2010

20150357555

PIEZOELECTRIC THIN FILM AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME, AND PIEZOELECTRIC ELEMENT - A piezoelectric thin film comprising aluminum nitride containing magnesium and hafnium, wherein a content of the hafnium based on 100 atomic % of the magnesium is 8 atomic % or more and less than 100 atomic %, and a total content of the magnesium and hafnium based on a sum of a content of the magnesium, hafnium, and aluminum is in a range of 47 atomic % or less.

12-10-2015

20130200753

METHODS FOR FORMING A CONNECTION WITH A MICROMACHINED ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER, AND ASSOCIATED APPARATUSES - A method and associated apparatus directed to a piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducer (pMUT) defining an air-backed cavity are provided. A first via defined by a device substrate and associated dielectric layer, and extending to the first electrode, is substantially filled with a first conductive material. A support member engaged with the device substrate defines a second via extending to the first conductive material. The second via has a second conductive material disposed thereon, forms an electrically-conductive engagement with the first conductive material, and extends outwardly of the second via to be accessible externally to the support member. A connective element extends through a third via defined by a connection support substrate and is in electrically-conductive engagement with the second conductive material, wherein one of the connective element and connection support substrate is bonded to one of the support member and second conductive material by a bonding material engaged therebetween.

08-08-2013

20130113338

Compact Active Vibration Control System for a Flexible Panel - A diamond-shaped actuator for a flexible panel has an inter-digitated electrode (IDE) and a piezoelectric wafer portion positioned therebetween. The IDE and/or the wafer portion are diamond-shaped. Point sensors are positioned with respect to the actuator and measure vibration. The actuator generates and transmits a cancelling force to the panel in response to an output signal from a controller, which is calculated using a signal describing the vibration. A method for controlling vibration in a flexible panel includes connecting a diamond-shaped actuator to the flexible panel, and then connecting a point sensor to each actuator. Vibration is measured via the point sensor. The controller calculates a proportional output voltage signal from the measured vibration, and transmits the output signal to the actuator to substantially cancel the vibration in proximity to each actuator.

05-09-2013

20130069483

TRANSDUCER AND TRANSDUCER MODULE - Transducers and transducer modules having the transducers are disclosed. An embodiment discloses a transducer that includes a conductive layer having a U-shaped slit toward its swing end. The slit is configured to enhance a haptic feedback or an acoustic propagation, or adjust a resonant mode.

03-21-2013

20140203684

ULTRASONIC GENERATION DEVICE - An ultrasonic generation device including an ultrasonic generation element having a frame, a first piezoelectric vibrator, and a second piezoelectric vibrator and configured to emit ultrasonic waves in a buckling tuning-fork vibration mode in which the first piezoelectric vibrator and the second piezoelectric vibrator vibrate in mutually opposite phases at the same frequency. Further, a housing receives the ultrasonic generation element and has ultrasonic emission ports, a first acoustic path extending from a vicinity of a vibration surface of the first piezoelectric vibrator to a vicinity of the ultrasonic emission ports, and a second acoustic path extending from a vicinity of a vibration surface of the second piezoelectric vibrator to the vicinity of the ultrasonic emission ports.

07-24-2014

20150015115

ADAPTER FOR ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER ASSEMBLY - Ultrasonic transducer coupling adapters, ultrasonic transducer assemblies with an adapter, and methods for making and for using ultrasonic transducer adapter components are disclosed. An ultrasonic transducer assembly is disclosed for generating and transmitting ultrasonic energy to a work piece (e.g., non-resonant structures). The assembly includes piezoelectric actuators that generate ultrasonic vibrations in response to high-frequency electrical signals. A feedback system monitors and regulates voltages applied to the piezoelectric actuators. The assembly also includes an adapter that is connected to the piezoelectric actuators (e.g., via a front mass) and is configured to distribute the ultrasonic vibrations from the actuators to the work piece. The adapter reduces or substantially eliminates transmission back to the piezoelectric actuators of erratic strain generated by the work piece in response to these ultrasonic vibrations. The adapter helps to ensure that the ultrasonic transducer assembly vibrates with a simple axial motion when the work piece vibrates erratically.

01-15-2015

20120007469

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR VIBRATION HARVESTING VIA GASFLOW - A method and device for gasflow, e.g. airflow, energy harvesting is disclosed. In one aspect, the device includes a cavity resonator such as a Helmholtz resonator which has a membrane for converting gasflow in vibration. The device may further include a vibrational energy harvester for converting the converted vibration into electrical energy. The device for gasflow energy harvesting is adapted such that the movement of the vibrational energy harvester is decoupled from the movement of the membrane. This allows to obtain a good output power of e.g. more than about 10 μW.

01-12-2012

20120306316

ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER, BIOLOGICAL SENSOR, AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING AN ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER - An ultrasonic transducer includes a resin substrate, a support film and a piezoelectric element. The resin substrate has an opening. The support film blocks off the opening in the resin substrate. The piezoelectric element is disposed on the support film in a region that blocks off the opening in plan view from a thickness direction of the support film. The piezoelectric element includes a lamination of a lower electrode, a piezoelectric body, and an upper electrode.

12-06-2012

20160052020

PIEZOELECTRIC DEVICE AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE INCLUDING THE SAME - Provided is a piezoelectric device including a first piezoelectric plate, a vibration plate provided to contact one surface of the first piezoelectric plate, and at least one second piezoelectric plate provided to contact the vibration plate, wherein the first and second piezoelectric plates have different resonant frequencies.

02-25-2016

20120223618

CURVED ULTRASONIC HIFU TRANSDUCER WITH AIR COOLING PASSAGEWAY - A curved high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) transducer comprising a curved piezoelectric array having opposite convex and concave back surfaces, the front surface comprising an acoustic transmitting surface, and a plurality of electrodes located on the convex back surface for applying electrical transmit signals to the array, and a printed circuit board spaced apart from and in opposition to the back surface of the curved piezoelectric array which couples electrical signals to the electrodes of the array, the space between the printed circuit board and the curved piezoelectric array comprising an acoustic air backing passageway of the piezoelectric array for air-cooling the curved piezoelectric array and the printed circuit board.

09-06-2012

20140139071

ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER - An ultrasonic transducer is provided that includes an ultrasonic wave generator having piezoelectric vibrators, and cases having ultrasonic wave emission holes and accommodating the ultrasonic wave generator. Acoustic paths in which air serves as a medium are formed by the ultrasonic wave generator and the and extend from the piezoelectric vibrators to the ultrasonic wave emission holes. Resonance of air is generated in the acoustic paths by ultrasonic waves generated by the piezoelectric vibrators in which the ultrasonic wave emission holes are open ends of the resonance. The piezoelectric vibrators are driven at a driving frequency at which the temperature-sound pressure characteristic for the resonance of air and the temperature-amplitude characteristic at the driving frequency of the piezoelectric vibrators have opposite tendencies.

Method for changing ultrasound wave frequency by using the acoustic matching layer - The method of changing ultrasound wave frequency by using the acoustic matching layer presents a replaceable acoustic matching layer to offer an effective means of filtering the original broadband frequency of an ultrasonic transducer into certain composite discontinuous frequencies. The filtering effect could be improved by connecting the electrodes of the acoustic matching layer when it is made of a poled piezoelectric material. This method may provide novel applications for commercial ultrasonic transducers.

11-11-2010

20150311424

PIEZOELECTRIC COMPOSITE AND METHOD OF FORMING SAME - A piezoelectric composite for use in an ultrasonic transducer and a method of forming the same is provided. The composite has a piezoelectric ceramic component and a hydrophobic polymer component arranged to form a 1-3, 2-2, or 3-3 composite type. In one embodiment, the hydrophobic polymer is selected to polymerize at a moderate temperature.

10-29-2015

20140077658

PIEZOELECTRIC MOTOR WITH EFFICIENT TRANSFER OF ENERGY - Provided are embodiments of piezoelectric motors which comprise at least one piezo-electrically active part and one passive part which are mounted with the ability of relative movement with respect to each other and which interact with each other by friction. The piezo-electrically active part includes at least one oscillator of acoustic vibrations with one or more piezoelectric elements in the form of a planar ring with acoustically attached flat pushers made from materials such as steel or ceramic. The flat pushers are pressed to a flat surface of the piezoelectric element, either directly or through an elastic element.

TRANSDUCER WITH SHIELD - A physical shield placed on the face of a high intensity focused ultrasound transducer for medical applications is described. The shield may be shaped or angled to match a particular pattern of mechanical or acoustic energy that may damage the transducer during operation. The shield may be ablative, replaceable or modified as needed. Methods of manufacturing a transducer with a shield are also disclosed.

06-16-2011

20160074906

VIBRATION GENERATING DEVICE - There is provided a vibration generating device including: a housing having an internal space; a base member installed in the housing to be disposed in a central portion of the housing; a first plate installed on the base member; a first piezoelectric element installed on an upper surface of the first plate; a second piezoelectric element disposed to face the first piezoelectric element through a connection member; a second plate installed on the second piezoelectric element; and a vibration amplifying part installed on an upper surface of the second plate.

03-17-2016

20110221304

Ultrasonic Transducer - An ultrasonic transducer that improves workability of a housing, suppresses variations in resonant frequency, and has stable characteristics is constructed. The ultrasonic transducer includes a bottomed circular cylindrical housing and a piezoelectric element provided at substantially a center of a bottom of the housing. The bottom of the housing has a slope portion that gradually becomes thinner from a position at which the piezoelectric element is provided toward an inner wall surface of the housing, and a flat portion that extends from an outer edge of the slope portion to the inner wall surface of the housing while maintaining a thickness of the outer edge of the slope portion.

09-15-2011

20110169375

Photostructured Acoustic Devices and Methods for Making Same - A photostructurable ceramic is processed using photostructuring process steps for embedding devices within a photostructurable ceramic volume, the devices may include one or more of chemical, mechanical, electronic, electromagnetic, optical, and acoustic devices, all made in part by creating device material within the ceramic or by disposing a device material through surface ports of the ceramic volume, with the devices being interconnected using internal connections and surface interfaces.

07-14-2011

20090079299

Aperture synthesis using cMUTs - An ultrasound imaging system may use a capacitive membrane or electrostrictive ultrasound transducer to realize isotropic volumetric imaging with bias-line element selection and a variety of aperture synthesis techniques. Two dimensional beam formation may be performed by using a beamformer to focus along one dimension, and then perform a second round of “off-line” or “retrospective” beam formation along the other direction.

Method and Apparatus for Imaging Utilizing an Ultrasonic Imaging Sensor Array - The subject invention pertains to a piezoelectric device structure for improved acoustic wave sensing and/or generation, and process for making same. The piezoelectric thin film field effect transducer can be a thin film transistor (TFT) with either a piezoelectric film gate or a composite gate having a dielectric film and a piezoelectric film. The TFT structure can be either a top gate device or a bottom gate device. In an embodiment, the piezoelectric device structure can be used to form an array of piezoelectric thin film field effect transducers. A TFT switch can drive each piezoelectric transducer in the array. The piezoelectric transducers can both generate and sense acoustic waves. In a sensing mode, a signal from an acoustic wave can be collected at a readout terminal of the piezoelectric transducer. In a generating mode, an excitation signal can be applied across the piezoelectric transducer while the switch is ‘on’.

05-21-2009

20080309196

Electrical Generator - An electrical generator includes a passageway having an input port and at least one output port and at least one resonator for converting acoustic vibrations established in the passageway into mechanical vibrations of the resonator. The resonator is oriented adjacent at least one output port. A mechanical-to-electrical transducer is coupled to the resonator for generating electricity in response to the mechanical vibrations.

12-18-2008

20090127978

Film bulk acoustic wave resonator, its fabrication method and film bulk acoustic wave resonator filter using the resonator - The film bulk acoustic wave resonator includes a laminate structure composed of a piezoelectric layer, and first and second electrode layers interposing at least part of the piezoelectric layer, in which the first metal electrode is dispersively formed on an electrode plane facing the second metal electrode, and a gap is formed in a substrate correspondingly to the laminate-structured resonance part. Except for an area of a wire electrode electrically connected to the first electrode layer and an area of a wire electrode electrically connected to the second electrode layer, the piezoelectric layer, first electrode layer and second electrode layer do not come in contact with the insulating substrate but are supported on a hollow. Also, a prop is formed in the gap to support the laminate structure.

05-21-2009

20090140606

Micro-Electro-Mechanical Transducers - A micro-electro-mechanical transducer (such as a cMUT) is disclosed. The transducer has a substrate, a top plate, and a resilient structure therebetween. The resilient structure has multiple connectors distributed over the device element area to vertically transport the top player with distributed support. The resilient structure may be cantilevers formed using a middle spring layer covering cavities on the substrate. Connectors define a transducing space below the top plate. The resilient structure enables a vertical displacement of the connectors, which transports the top plate in a piston-like motion to change the transducing space and to effectuate energy transformation. No separate cells are necessary for each addressable transducer element. Multiple device elements can be made on the same substrate.

06-04-2009

20080224567

Ultrasonic sensor having piezoelectric element and acoustic matching member - An ultrasonic sensor according to the present invention is used, for example, for detecting an obstacle positioned in front of an automotive vehicle. The ultrasonic sensor includes an piezoelectric element connected to an acoustic matching member and a processing circuit, all contained in a casing. Ultrasonic waves reflected on an object are received by the acoustic matching member and converted into electrical signals in the piezoelectric element. The electrical signals are processed in the processing circuit to thereby detect a distance to the object and/or positions of the object. A surface of the acoustic matching member connected to the piezoelectric element is made larger than the piezoelectric element to form an overhang area on a conductive layer formed on the acoustic matching member. In this manner, electrical connection in the ultrasonic sensor is easily made, and detection sensitivity of the ultrasonic sensor is enhanced.

Longitudinal Pulse Wave Array - An acoustic pulse array is described. The pulse array may include a plane wave pulse generator having a first side from which a first wave emanates, and a second side from which a second wave emanates. A first waveguide array may be attached to the generator on the first side of the generator, and a second waveguide array may be attached to a second side of the generator. One or more of the waveguides may be attached to the generator so as to orient the waveguide to transmit wave pulses in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the generator.

08-21-2008

20160136687

LOW-PROFILE, LOW-FREQUENCY, AND LOW-IMPEDANCE BROAD-BAND ULTRASOUND TRANSDUCER AND METHODS THEREOF - An ultrasound transducer and a method of making this transducer, where the transducer includes at least two piezoelectric elements, oriented adjacent to each other in a stack. Each piezoelectric element includes a first surface which includes an electrode of a first polarity, a second surface which includes an electrode of a second polarity, a thickness between the first surface and the second surface, and an ultrasound transmitting surface. This surface does not include an electrode. The transducer also includes a first electrical connection between a surface of a first of the at least two piezoelectric elements of the first polarity and a surface of a second of the at least two piezoelectric elements of the first polarity and a second electrical connection between a surface of a first of the at least two piezoelectric elements of the second polarity and a surface of a second of the at least two piezoelectric elements of the second polarity.